Design of a New Dual Mesh with an Absorbable Nanofiber Layer as a Potential Implant for Abdominal Hernia Treatment.

Kaya, M; Ahi, Z B; Ergene, E; Yilgor Huri, P; Tuzlakoglu, K

Dual meshes are often preferred in the treatment of umbilical and incisional hernias where the abdominal wall defect is large. These meshes are generally composed of two layers of non-absorbable materials, or one non-absorbable, one absorbable layer that degrades within the body upon healing of the defect. The most crucial point in the design of a dual mesh is to produce the respective layers based on the structure and requirements of the recipient site. We herein developed a dual mesh that consists of two layers; a nanofibrous layer made of poly (glycerol sebacate)/poly (caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) to support the healing of the abdominal wall defect and a non-degradable, non-adhesive smooth layer made of polycarbonateurethane (PU) with suitable properties to avoid the adhesion of the viscera to the mesh. To prepare the double-sided structure, PGS/PCL was directly electrospun onto the PU film. This processing approach provided a final product with well-integrated layers as observed by SEM. Tensile test performed at the dry state of the samples showed that the dual mesh has the ability to elongate 7 times more as compared to the commercially available counterparts, mimicking the native tissue properties. The degradation test carried out at physiological conditions revealed that PGS started to degrade within the first 15 days. In vitro studies with HUVECs demonstrated the double function of the meshes, in which PU layer did not allow cell adhesion while PGS/PCL layer has the ability to support cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, the material developed in this study has the potential to be an alternative to the existing hernia mesh products.